Novel 6-substituted beta-nortestosterone derivatives



United States Patent ice f;7,

0 3,356,716 I NOVEL 6-SUBSTITUTED B-NORTESTOSTERONE DERIVATIVES Kenneth G. Holden, Stratford, N.J., and James F. 5

Kerwin, Brooinall, Pa., assignors to Smith Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., 21 corporation of Pennsylvania AC0 N0 Drawing. Filed Aug. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 389,468 11 Claims. (Cl. 260-488) 11 This invention relates to novel new 6-substituted-B- I o nortestosterone compounds having pharmacodynamic I activity. This invention also relates to intermediates and I i 9H processes for producing said new compounds. The new v compounds of this invention have particularly useful antiandrogenic and central nervous system depressant activ- HO ity.

' The compounds of this invention are illustrated by OH CHiOH HZOH the following formula: III v o o X l r \J f s 0= =cn, 0-

1 v VI or, when taken with the ring carbon atom to which it is attached, spirocyclopropyl in Wh'ch R re resents meth lene I OH OH 1 P Y {Li C=CH2 CH3 CH3 I CH2 VII VIII |\CH2 In the above outlined synthesis, the lactone of known t 3,8-acetoxy-5,8-hydroxy-17-oxo-B-norandrostan-6-oic acid R1 repres n S keto or hydroxy and X represents 40 (II) is reduced with a bimetallic hydride such as lithium E aluminum hydride in a suitable nonpolar organic solvent 0 C--H, C--OH such as tetrahydrofuran or ether to give 6,6-hydroxy- I I methyl-35,5 8,l7,8-trihydroxy-B-norandrostane [111, see

Takasaki, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 10, 439 (1962)]. This on compound is oxidized at positions 3,17 such as by using I N-bromoacetamide in alcoholic solvent to 6 8-hydroxymethyl-Sfl-hydroxy-B-norandrostane-3,17-dione (IV), a

new intermediate.

This compound is dehydrated such as by heating in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid in an aromatic Preferred compounds of this invention are those in which R is keto and X represents solvent such as benzene to give the important new inter- C--H mediate, 6-methylene-B-n0randrost-4-ene-3,l7-di0ne (V)v I which is reacted with an excess of a tri-lower alkyl sulor foxonium halide such as trimethylsulfoxonium iodide OH in a suitable organic solvent for example dimethyl sull foxide usually in the presence of a strong alkali such as an alkali metal hydride, i.e., sodium or potassium hydride compounfls llaving Particularly advantageous anti ate or ethylate to give a mixture of isomers, 6,6-ethyleneandrogenic activity are those in which R is a spirocyclo- 21 4 3- (v or an alkali metal lower alkoxide such as sodium methyl-' P PY group-The P Y P PY gTOup is P p more Either isomer or preferably the isomeric mixture is P p y named as a 6,6-ethy1ene p. reduced with a bimetallic hydride such as lithium alumi- The intermediates and processes of this invention will num hydride in a suitable nonpolar organic solvent such be apparent from the following description. as ethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran to 6,6-ethylene-3/3,17fl-' 3 dihydroxy-17a-methyl-B-norandrost-4-ene (VII). The reduction gives a mixture of isomers at position 3 with the beta isomer predominating. This mixture is then oxidized at position 3 by standard oxidation agents such as 2,3-dichloro 5,6 dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) in dioxane to give the desired 6,6-ethylene-17a-methyl-B- nortestosterone or its H S-isomer (VIII). The isomeric mixtures are separated by fractional crystallization or preferably by chromatography over alumina. These compounds, especially the 17e-methyl-testosterone isomer, have potent antiandrogenic activity.

The substituted testosterone congener is prepared. similarly but using only about one mole equivalent of the trimethylsulfoxonium iodide reagent for the reaction with G-methylene-B-norandrost-4-ene-3,l'7-dione under reaction conditions described above at the preferred 6-methylene group. Subsequent reduction and DDQ oxidation as described gives the antiandrogenic 6,6-ethylene-B-nortestosterone.

The 6-methy1ene congeners of this invention are prepared from 6-methylene-B-norandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione as well. For example, this intermediate is reacted with lithium aluminum hydride to form 6-methylene-3fi,17fl-dihydroxy-B-norandrost-4-ene which is then oxidized preferentially at position 3 with DDQ as described to form 6-methylene-B-nortestosterone.

The compounds of this invention may be used as such or as O-acylate derivatives which are prepared as known to the art. Such acylate derivatives are those derived from carboxylic acids of a maximum of 10 carbon atoms such as propionate, caprylate,.benzoate, enanthate, phenyl acetate or the preferred acetate. Such derivatives are prepared by reaction with an acid halide or anhydride in the presence of a tertiary organic base such as pyridine at room temperature or slightly elevated temperature. The

17-methyl congeners form with more difliculty, as known to the art, such as by using an excess of acetic anhydride at reflux for several hours. Also equivalent to the end compounds of this invention of Formula I in which X is are the cycloalkene ethers of said compounds such as those in which X is Such derivatives are prepared by reacting the parent 6- substituted testosterone with a cyclopentenone or cyclohexenone dimethyl ketal in the presence of a trace of acid usually p-toluenesulfonic acid at about 100-200 C.

Other variations of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art but the nub of this invention is the B-nortestosterone skeleton having a 6,6-ethylene or methylene substituent. The term alkali metal is used as known to the art but preferably means sodium or potassium. The term lower alkyl is used to define groups having a maximum of -6 carbon atoms preferably ethyl or methyl.

The following examples will illustrate this invention further to those skilled in the art but arenot designed to limit this invention.

Example 1 To a stirred suspension of 20 g. of lithium aluminum hydride in 700 ml. of tetrahydrofuran under a nitrogen atmosphere is slowly added .30 g. of 3fl-acetoxy-5fl-hydroxy-17-oxo-B-norandrostan-6-oic acid 5,6-lactone [Tanabe et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull., 9, 12 (1961)] in 250 ml. of tetrahydrofuran. After addition is complete, the reaction mixture is stirred at reflux for 2 hours. After cooling with an ice bath the reaction mixture is slowly treated with 80 ml. of water in 100 ml. of tetrahydrofuran. The resulting white precipitate is removed by filtration and washed with fresh tetrahydrofuran. Evaporation of the filtrate gives a residue of 6;8-hydroxymethyl-3;8,5;8,17 3 trihydroxy-B-norandrostaue, M.P. 166170 C., after crystallization from ethyl acetate.

Example 2 To a stirred solution of 60 g. of N-bromoacetamide in 1 l. of methanol, protected from direct light, is added 18 ml. of pyridine, 60 ml. of water and 18 g. of 6/3-hydroxymethyl-35,55,17fi-trihydroxy-B-norandrostane. After stirring at room temperature for 16 hours g. of solid sodium sulfite followed by 400 ml. of water is added, stirring is continued for a few minutes, and finally the reaction mixture is concentrated to 500 ml. at reduced pressure. The warm mixture is diluted with 1.5 l. of water, cooled, and filtered to give crystalline 6/3-hydroxymethyl- SB-hydroxy-B-norandrostan-S,17-dione, M.P. 178-180" C., after recrystallization from ethyl acetate.

Example 3 max. 283 mp. 5 15,500

l iodide in 90 m1. of dimethyl sulfoxide under a nitrogen atmosphere is slowly added 1.6 g. of sodium hydride as a 55% mineral oil suspension. After stirring for 10 minutes 10 g. of 6-methylene-B-norandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione in 150 ml. of dimethyl sulfoxide is added. The reaction mixture is stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature and then at 60 C. for 45 minutes. It is then poured into water and extracted with benzene. Evaporation of the dried benzene extracts gives a residue of 6,6-ethylene-B-norondrost-4-ene-3,17-dione, M.P. 205-209 C., UV: x max. 262 mp. (a 15,900), after recrystallization from acetonehexane.

Example 5 To a stirred suspension of 1.7 g. of lithium aluminum hydride in ml. of ether under a nitrogen atmosphere is slowly added 6.8 g. of 6,6ethylene-B-norandrost-4-ene- 3,17-dione in ml. of tetrahydrofuran. After addition is complete the reaction mixture is refluxed for 2 hours, cooled, treated with 7 ml. of water in 20 ml. of tetrahydrofuran, filtered and the filtrate, evaporated to a crude residue of 6,6-ethylene-3B,17/3-dihydroxy-B-norandrost-4- ene. This residue contains a portion of the 3a-hydroxy isomer which is also a part of this invention. Without further purification the crude diol is dissolved, in 100 ml. of dioxane and treated with 5.7 g. of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) in 70 ml. of dioxane. After 5 hours at room temperature the reaction mixture is filtered and the filtrate is evaporated to a residue which is dissolved in methylene chloride-benzene (1:1) and chromatographed on 200 g. of alumina (activity III, Woelm). Elution with methylene chloride-benzene (1:1) and methylene chloride gives 6,6-ethylene-B-nortestosterone, M.P. -177" C., after recrystallization from ethyl acetate.

This compound (500 mg.) is reacted with an excess of propionyl chloride in pyridine. Quenching and washing gives the propionate ester.

A mixture of ml. distilled cyclopentenone dimethyl ketal and 4.5 g. of 6,6-ethylene-B-nortestoster0ne with a trace of p-toluenesulfonic acid is placed in a flask with a water trap. The mixture is heated at 150175 C. bath temperature until collection of distillate is complete. The residue is cooled, diluted with aqueous methanol contain ing a few drops of pyridine and chilled to give the desired 6,6-ethylene B nortestosterone 17 cyclopentenyl ether. The l7-cyc10hexenyl ether is similarly prepared.

Example 6 To a stirred solution of an excess (27 g.) of trimethylsulfoxonium iodide in 270 m1. of dimethyl sulfoxide under a nitrogen atmosphere is added, in portions, 5.3 g. of sodium hydride as a 55% mineral oil suspension. After stirring for 10 minutes 10 g. of 6-methy1ene-B-norandrost-4-ene-3,l7-dione in 150 ml. of dimethyl sulfoxide is added. The reaction mixture is stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature, minutes at C., and then allowed to stand at room temperature for 3 days. It is then poured into water and extracted with benzene. Evaporation of the dried benzene extracts gives a crude residue of a mixture of 6,6-ethylene-175,20-epoxy-B-nor-2l-nor- 17-isopregn-4-en-3-one and 6,6 ethylene-l7a,20-epoxy- B-nor-Zl-norpregn-4-en-3-one in a ratio of about 2:1. After purification by chromatography over alumina (activity III, Woelm) and crystallization from acetonehexane the mixture melts at 131-161 C.

Example 7 To a stirred suspension of 1.1 g. of lithium aluminum hydride in 50 ml. of ether under a nitrogen atmosphere is slowly added m1. of tetrahydrofuran containing 4.7 g. of a mixture of 6,6-ethylene-175,20-epoxy-B-nor-21- nor-17-isopregn-4-en-3-one and 6,6-ethylene-17a,20-epoxy- B-n0r-2l-norpregn-4-en-3-one. Following the addition the reaction mixture is refluxed for 2 hours, cooled, treated slowly with 4.5 ml. of water, filtered and the filtrate evaporated to a residue. The residue, which contains 6,6-ethylene-3 (3, l7fl-dihydroxy-17a-methyl-B-norandrost-4-ene and 6,6 ethylene-3B,17a-dihydroxy-17,6-methyl-B-norandrost- 4-ene is dissolved in ml. of dioxane and treated with 3.7 g. of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ). After stirring at room temperature for 16 hours the reaction mixture is filtered and the filtrate is evaporated to a residue. The residue is dissolved in benzene and chromatographed on g. of alumina (Woelm activity III). Elution with benzene and benzene-methylene chloride mixture gives 6,6-ethylene-17a-methyl-B-nortestosterone, M.P. 189-19l C., UV: x max. 263 m (6 16,000), after recrystallization from acetonehexane. Elution with methylene-chloride gives 6,6-ethylene-17u-hydroxy-17,8-methyl-B-norandrost-4-en-3-one, M.P. 191-194 C., UV: A max. 264 m (6 16,000), after recrystallization from ether.

The former isomer (500 mg.) is heated at reflux in an excess of acetic anhydride for 6 hours. Quenching in water gives the O-acetate derivative,

6 What is claimed is: 1. A compound having the formula:

in which R is a member selected from the group consisting of ethylene and methylene; R is a member selected from the group consisting of ,B-hydroxy and 0x0; and X is a member selected from the group consisting of 15 0 OH OH and 45 comprising reducing with lithium aluminum hydride a compound having the formula:

References Cited Darfman et al.: Steroids, June 1964, pp. 675-685. Dvalaitzky et al.: Bull Soc. Chim., France, 12, December 1963.

LORRAINE A. WEINBERGER, Primary Examiner. V. GARNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA: 